Be An Example of Progress

Scripture: …set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity…Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 1 Tim. 4:12-15

Observation: Paul is encouraging the young pastor, Timothy, to focus on teaching the truth to his people, setting an example for them in life, and to continue to make progress in his Christian life.

Application: This text embodies a major leadership principle of my life. I am going to lead people out of the example of my own progressing life, not out of my own perfected life. My hope is that they will be inspired to see that they can progress along with me, that we are in this journey together. This requires openness, willingness to risk not having it all together. It means allowing people into your home and life. This can be a challenge for me, but these verses encouraged me to continue to be diligent in my progress, and continue to be open is letting others see that progress as I lead them.

Prayer: God, help me continue to progress. Give me opportunity to share my advancing with others, in a way that encourages their speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. Thanks for the opportunity, and protect my progress.

Sounding the Trumpet for Battle

Scripture: Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with their battle trumpets to sound the call to battle against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your fathers, for you cannot succeed.” 2 Chronicles 13:12

Observation: Abijah, king of Judah, is headed into battle against Jereboam, king of Israel. Jereboam had led his country into cultish worship and evil practices. Abijah also was not completely without sin, but it says he was "wholly true to the Lord." THe difference between the two kings is that Abijah was leading his troops to trust in the Lord. Here, we see a battlefield speech, calling his countrymen to unite and fight and calling his enemies to give up.
These words caught me because I love the advancing with God nature of them. This is a man, albeit flawed, who actually wants to lead, to conquer, to defeat the enemy. And he wants to do it under the headship of the Lord, and with the priests sounding their battle trumpets. This is a man ho wants to go into battle with and for the Lord.

Application: I want to be a minister like Abijah. A man who runs to the battle, confident God is ahead of him and ready to sound the call to battle. It can be so easy to hang back, and let others sound the call. To refuse to accept the responsibility of wading into the fray. Is it fear? Is it insecurity? Is it personality? Is it lack of confidence that God is with us at our head? I am not sure, but I am learning that people are who people are, and some are simply not going to pick up the battle trumpet--no matter what you do. It may have to do with the way God created us--he made some to lead the battle and others to not. In any case, I know that for my soul, I need to look to the left and right and see "valiant men of war" standing with me on the plains of battle.

Prayer: God, I thank you for the way you created me. I pray you help me grow more comfortable with my divine design, and learn to serve and lead out of it. I pray you show me how to build valiant men of war around me for the battle. Show me how to do that and help me make sure that I have you at my head.