If we will be obedient, God will handle the outcome

 

It makes more sense to please God

Christian Leadership: Calling And Obedience

I'm at a Christian leadership conference and something I heard reminded me of an important thought. In Christian leadership there is a temptation to come up with our own personal plans and schemes—clever ideas we initiate for one reason or another. And we attribute these plans and schemes to God. In other words, we are tempted to dress up our own personal ideas in God language in order to make the ideas credible with those we are leading.

We tend to do this because one of the dangers of Christian leadership is the belief that it is all about accomplishment… our impressive accomplishments, to be more specific. That's what makes us feel good. Accomplishment affirms our self-esteem. I know what it's like to give in to this temptation.

What is hard for us Christian leaders to understand is that it's really not all about our accomplishments. By the way, the previous sentence you just read is actually a repugnant and ridiculous thought for many people in the world of leadership, including Christian leadership.

Please understand I’m not against accomplishment. Accomplishment is a good thing. This is not an anti-accomplishment rant. What I’m trying to communicate, however, is that accomplishment is not the most important aspect of Christian leadership. The most important aspect of Christian leadership is twofold: being called by God and being obedient to God. If a Christian leader is not called to leadership by God and acting in obedience to Him the accomplishments will, ultimately, be hollow.

I’m posting this here because my leadership efforts have been thwarted by my own ego on more than one occasion. So, I need to see this and be reminded of it: Be attentive and obedient to God and let the Holy Spirit bring the accomplishment.

#GLS15

We Obey God As Our Hearts Become More Devoted To Him

It’s helpful to keep in mind that our devotion is to God not to God’s rules.  Actually, as our hearts become more and more devoted to God, we will increasingly live for Him and follow His laws, we will do His will.  But what prompts these outward acts of obedience in the most genuine and most effective way, is the interior condition of our lives.  The proper outward acts of behavior happen as the heart becomes more devoted to Him.

Perfect Obedience...The Standard Of Jesus

When Jesus refused to turn the stones into bread—his first temptation in the wilderness—he was demonstrating a very high standard, actually a perfect standard, a standard of complete holiness. He was saying, “Even a physical NEED, something as critical and pressing as a genuine NEED, cannot come before OBEDEDIENCE TO GOD.” God bless you as you walk—with God’s help—in the way of the Master today.