Open Heavens Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye
MEMORIZE: “To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:” (Gal. 1:16).
READ: Galatians 1:15-16
Ideally, to qualify for leadership positions in the church of God, you must first be called. Believers are ‘called-out’ people. You are first called out of sin and worldliness into God’s Kingdom. Until you genuinely respond to this preliminary call, you cannot taste the new birth. This makes you unfit to lead God’s people. Today, many who have not yet known the Lord give themselves big titles, claiming that God has commissioned them. The Lord is a Holy God. He will not appoint sinners. Until the problem of sin is settled, that individual remains unusable—his gifts, knowledge and earthly achievements notwithstanding.
“But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:” (Gal. 1:15-16). From the passage above, Paul had Jesus Christ in his heart before he was called to make Him known to the world. You cannot give what you don’t have. Anyone who does not genuinely have a personal relationship with Christ, but is leading God’s people, is not a leader but a hireling. Do you have the Jesus you are preaching to others?
According to Christ’s prayer for the disciples recorded in John 17:6-8, Peter and his colleagues were ‘called out of the world’. They left everything that meant something to them and followed Him. In our midst today, within the leadership cadre, there are many square pegs in round holes – misfits. Whenever a wrong person is appointed to a position, it is possible that the one making the appointment is biased, influenced, bought over, blind, careless, prayer-less or simply mischievous. Leaders must be very careful in the choice of those who will lead others in God’s house. Anyone who is not genuinely saved and heading for Heaven must be dropped from unlawful occupation of a kingdom office. Your soul is more important than your service. Are you a backslidden leader? You can hide your state from men but not from God. Which is more important to you – the office or your soul? Ask the Lord to have mercy on you today. Whenever you are spiritually sick, leave the work, attend to your soul and ensure it is well, before you make a comeback.
KEY POINT
It takes a healthy soul to provide beneficial leadership.
Bible in One year: Esth. 4-7
MEMORIZE: “To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:” (Gal. 1:16).
READ: Galatians 1:15-16
Ideally, to qualify for leadership positions in the church of God, you must first be called. Believers are ‘called-out’ people. You are first called out of sin and worldliness into God’s Kingdom. Until you genuinely respond to this preliminary call, you cannot taste the new birth. This makes you unfit to lead God’s people. Today, many who have not yet known the Lord give themselves big titles, claiming that God has commissioned them. The Lord is a Holy God. He will not appoint sinners. Until the problem of sin is settled, that individual remains unusable—his gifts, knowledge and earthly achievements notwithstanding.
“But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:” (Gal. 1:15-16). From the passage above, Paul had Jesus Christ in his heart before he was called to make Him known to the world. You cannot give what you don’t have. Anyone who does not genuinely have a personal relationship with Christ, but is leading God’s people, is not a leader but a hireling. Do you have the Jesus you are preaching to others?
According to Christ’s prayer for the disciples recorded in John 17:6-8, Peter and his colleagues were ‘called out of the world’. They left everything that meant something to them and followed Him. In our midst today, within the leadership cadre, there are many square pegs in round holes – misfits. Whenever a wrong person is appointed to a position, it is possible that the one making the appointment is biased, influenced, bought over, blind, careless, prayer-less or simply mischievous. Leaders must be very careful in the choice of those who will lead others in God’s house. Anyone who is not genuinely saved and heading for Heaven must be dropped from unlawful occupation of a kingdom office. Your soul is more important than your service. Are you a backslidden leader? You can hide your state from men but not from God. Which is more important to you – the office or your soul? Ask the Lord to have mercy on you today. Whenever you are spiritually sick, leave the work, attend to your soul and ensure it is well, before you make a comeback.
KEY POINT
It takes a healthy soul to provide beneficial leadership.
Bible in One year: Esth. 4-7
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