Some random thoughts on leadership from devotions the week of 2.2.98 Warren D. Carter – Elder

Wien, Österreich

February, 1998

SPIRITUAL GIFTS … and God’s highest hopes

Let love be your highest goal, but also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives…

## I Cor 14:1

This is the starting place for any discussion on spiritual gifts, and must undergird all action and discussion we have on the topic. In my devotions this week, I was impressed with some thoughts about what God’s priorities are – His hopes and dreams for the church – concerning the use of spiritual gifts in the church from chapter 14 of 1st Corinthians. There may be many I have missed, but these are the ones that stood out for me this week.

But one who _________ is helping others grow in the Lord, encouraging and comforting them.

I Cor 14:3

God’s first and foremost desire for the body of Christ and their use of spiritual gifts, is to help others to grow in the Lord. This will always be the result of a Christian applying the gifts God has given. It may not be readily noticeable, but often times you will have some indication of how others may be developing in their knowledge and love for God. This is an on-going process that none of us will complete, short of heaven … and one that requires other believers’ help along the way.

… but one who __________ strengthens the entire church.

I Cor 14:4

As individuals come to understand God’s plan for their lives, the church family grows strong and more capable – and by doing so, develops a greater resistance to the strategies of the evil one.

… so that the whole church can get some good out of it.

I Cor 14:5c

Whenever spiritual gifts are exercised in the church, there will be benefit to the Body of Christ, and it will be perceived as good – the goodness of God will be manifested and observed by all.

Since you are so eager to have spiritual gifts, ask God for those that will be of real help to the whole church.

I Cor 14:12

It is easy to be involved in activities in the church. Many (if not most) of those activities could even be of some value to the church. But when the family of God utilizes Spirit-given gifts in Spirit-directed ministry, then God’s agenda for the development and growth of the church will be experienced – and that is the best possible hope for any local church.

… [others will] praise God along with you

I Cor 14:16b

It is God’s desire that the entire church praise God together. As individuals grow in their spiritual walk and ministry, a natural outpouring of praise comes from the heart – in recognition of what God has done. As we assemble together, our personal expressions become a corporate chorus of praise to our Lord.

… they join you in giving thanks…

I Cor 14:16c

Not only does God desire our praise, He wants us to continually give thanks to Him for life and provision. God is pleased when we acknowledge the source of our blessings. When gather together, and hear testimonies of God’s grace in other people’s lives, we’re reminded of His activity and interest in our own personal life – with spontaneous offerings of thanksgiving being the result.

… unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things…will be convicted of sin

I Cor 14:24

It is God’s desire that all people come into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit prepares unsaved people to respond to the message of hope, as expressed by a church functioning in the roles God has designed and intended for it.

… secret thoughts will be laid bare, and they will fall down on their knees and worship God

I Cor 14:25

Not only does God desire our praise and thanks, but He loves it when we worship Him. It is like feeling the concentrated gaze of your four-week old son penetrating your heart. Oh that we were like babes on His breast!

But everything that is done must be useful to all and build them up in the Lord.

I Cor 14:26c

We’ve already talked about helping others to grow in the Lord, strengthening the church, and the Body benefiting … so the emphasis here can be on the words everything being useful to all. There’s no wasted effort – everything that we do can be done with purpose and intent – and the entire church will be blessed by each member contributing their gifts to the Body.

…so that everyone will learn and be encouraged.

I Cor 14:31b

The entire family of God is called to a life of learning and growing in Him – which can only be achieved when it’s members function in their areas of gifting, as called by the Holy Spirit.

For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the other churches.

I Cor 14:33

It is God’s desire that the church live in His peace … not peace as the world’s diplomats define it, but real peace. This condition is part of the fruit of God’s Spirit operating in and through the family of God, as they serve one another and a dying world.

Be sure that everything is done properly and in order.

I Cor 14:40

When people are exercising proper stewardship over their gifts, the life of the church will be marked by a certain order. That order may differ from church to church and country to country, but there will be a discernable order. It is obvious to even the newest Christian that God’s plans are perfect, and that He can orchestrate the most complex of situations and plans to bring about the accomplishment of His purposes. In churches that listen to and obey the voice of the Lord, their members function and minister in harmony with a God-given precision, complementary nature, and amplification that can change the world!

Confession … Forgiveness

Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight.

Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!

When I refused to confess my sin, I was weak and miserable, and I groaned all day long.

Day and night Your hand of discipline was heavy on me.

My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.

Finally, I confessed all my sins to You and stopped trying to hide them.

I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”

And You forgave me! All my guilt is gone.

Therefore, let all the godly confess their rebellion to You while there is time,

that they may not drowned in the flood waters of judgement.

For You are my hiding place; You protect me from trouble.

You surround me with songs of victory.

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise and watch over you.

Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.”

Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord.

So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey Him.

Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure.

Ps 32:1-11

The old saying “confession is good for the soul” is exactly right. Sin is rebellion. When we are in rebellion, we are separated from God – our relationship is in some way broken or more distant from the Lord. Because of that distance we become weak and miserable. It’s a lonely place, to be separated from the Lord of the universe. The test of true character at this point is: Will you stop trying to hide your sins and confess them to the Lord? The Lord has promised that He will guide us according to the best pathway for our lives – so rejoice! Be glad! Obey Him!

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Trust … Commitment … Patience … Plans … Mammon

Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord and He will give you your heart’s desires.

Ps 37:3-4

It’s no coincidence that we use the word trust so often to describe a person’s decision to turn their lives over to Christ. What we often forget is that we must also take action based on that trust. The action prescribed in v.3 is that we must ‘do good’. And God’s promise to us as we choose to live holy lives, is that we will live safely and prosper.

One way we demonstrate our trust in God and our desire to purify our lives, is to take deep, genuine delight in the Lord. God loves it when we delight in Him. He seeks our adoration. He seeks the intimacy that comes through that adoration. And what is His promise to those who seek Him? He has said that He will give us our heart’s desires. And these desires are not for wealth or fame or power, but to see His kingdom advanced. “Trust and obey for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey!”

Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him and He will help you.

Ps 37:5

Just a couple of quick thoughts here:

Commitment is vitally important to our walk with the Lord. The Jews of the exodus were not fully committed to following the Lord. They followed in good times, in provision – but complained and worshipped idols under stress.

Commitment is not only wholehearted, but complete. You can’t commit small aspects of your life to God and retain control other areas of life. Is this easy? No! So God has provided a way – “Trust Him, and He will help you.” This is His promise to us. If we trust Him in the area of commitment, He will help us to follow through.

Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act…Don’t be impatient for the Lord to act! Travel steadily along His path. He will honour you …

Ps 37:7a + 34a

One of the most difficult tasks for Christians is to wait on the Lord for His timing. One mistake we make is to “do nothing”. This be still admonition does not mean the absence of action ... to wait patiently for Him does not mean to take a time out. Rather, this waiting is an active, passionate expression of our hearts – a time where we cling closely to God, an opportunity to listen intently for His heartbeat – we have the privilege of sensing the warmth of His touch, and gaining insight to our Lord’s thoughts. When was the last time you were quiet before the Lord – listening, reaching out, embracing, feeling the tenderness of His gaze, knowing His will? Would you be willing to make a commitment to practice this regularly? … daily?

Stop your anger! Turn from your rage!

Ps 37:8a

This is one of my pet peeves: I believe the church today is too accepting of anger as a valid response to life’s situations. Since God knows our weaknesses, He has given us options for dealing with anger – such as, don’t let the sun go down on your anger. But I believe God’s highest hope for us, especially as leaders, is that we will not become angry or publicly express anger. An obvious exception is righteous anger over a violation of God’s will – but I believe that we humans are too ready to classify personal anger as God’s righteous anger, or overlook the primary nature of our anger being personal due to the 5% that’s related to the Lord.

…The godly are generous givers.

Ps 37: 21b

This is just another reminder that God loves a cheerful giver – that person who is more interested in sharing/ using his gifts, rather than hoarding them or “burying them in the ground.”

The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.

Ps 37:23+24

God is faithful to direct our steps. He rejoices in our planning ahead, but He wants our plans to be aligned with His will. And His will often covers the smallest of details in our lives. Sometimes we stumble in God’s pathways, but He has promised to catch us if we fall. There are many other references to planning in the Word … a rich source of reference can be found in Proverbs 16.

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God calls … God’s desire

He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what He has done and be astounded. They will put their trust in the Lord.

Ps 40:2b-3

As I read this passage I was reminded that God is the One who calls, envisions, reveals, and works.

You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings. Now that You have made me listen I finally understand – You don’t require burnt offerings or sin offerings…I take joy in doing Your will, my God, for Your law is written on my heart.

Ps 40:6+8

This is yet another reference to the whole subject of what God is looking for in His children. God has been speaking to me about this subject for the past several months, out of Hebrews 10:18, I Sam 15:22, Proverbs 15:8, and in Psalms (50:13,14+23/ 51:6+15-17/ 69:30-31/ 116:12-19). The basic issue is: if it feels like sacrifice – don’t do it! Other people may view it as a sacrifice (and it may well be), but don’t allow the sacrificial aspects to motivate you. What God wants is for us to know, joyfully trust, and obey Him. God doesn’t need our offerings or sacrifices – what He wants is a willing heart.

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Philosophy of Ministry

We can say with [1]confidence and a [2]clear conscience that we have been [3]honest and [4]sincere in all our dealings. We have [5]depended on God’s grace, not on our own earthly wisdom. That is how we have acted toward [6]everyone … There is nothing written [7]between the lines and nothing you can’t [8]understand … Since I was so [9]sure of your understanding and trust, I wanted to give you a double blessing … [10]My yes means yes because Jesus Christ, the Son of God, never waivers between yes and no. [11]He is the one … I preach to you, and He is the divine Yes — God’s affirmation. For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Him … it is God who [12]gives us, along with you, the ability to stand firm for Christ. He has [13]commissioned us, and He has [14]identified us as His own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts … But that [15]does not mean we want to tell you exactly how to put your faith into practice. We want to work together with you so you will be full of joy as you stand firm in your faith.

II Cor 1:12-24 (excerpts)

This is a good description of Paul’s philosophy of ministry – the style that he chooses to characterize his work for the Lord.

1. We must have confidence in the work God has called us too and our ability to accomplish the tasks.

2. We must at all times have a clear conscience that we are following God’s will for our lives.

3. We must be totally honest, i.e. above reproach in all our dealings. Our integrity of character is of primary importance to God, since it allows Him use us in whatever way He chooses.

4. We must be genuine in our interactions with others. People will see through masks or deceptions.

5. We must depend on God and not on our own strength or knowledge.

6. We must be impartial, treating everyone with the same respect.

7. We must be clear in our communication, without having or working on a hidden agenda.

8. We must strive to communicate in ways that our hearers can understand.

9. Seek first to understand and trust the people that God has called you to minister to.

10. Your word is your bond. Vows are very important before the Lord. Let your yes be yes and your no be no.

11. Christ is the reason why we are involved in ministry. He is God’s Son. God chose Him and sent Him to save us. All of God’s plans are complete in Christ. This is the essence of our message and our hope.

12. God will give us strength for every trial. If we stand for Him, He will stand by us.

13. It is God who has called us into His service.

14. God has marked us as His children by depositing the Holy Spirit within us.

15. God does not choose dictators to be leaders. He will speak to each of His sheep, and wants us to listen and work together as one body. He knows that this will result in the greatest rejoicing on earth and in heaven, as each one of us stands firm in our faith and new believers are enfolded into the flock.

Ldrship Notes2-98

26.2.98